


i can tell you are no longer afraid.

by sondersoflight



Category: Cobra Kai (Web Series), Karate Kid (Movies)
Genre: M/M, johnny: we are lucky erections are silent, that's it that's the whole premise, this is a mess
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-24
Updated: 2020-09-24
Packaged: 2021-03-07 23:26:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,253
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26635822
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sondersoflight/pseuds/sondersoflight
Summary: This would have never happened if it weren’t for Bobby.Johnny is going to have to buy him a second Christmas present.
Relationships: Daniel LaRusso/Johnny Lawrence
Comments: 13
Kudos: 321





	i can tell you are no longer afraid.

**Author's Note:**

> aaah this is a mess. i was trying to write something funny but something soft came out instead. english is not my first language and this is unbetaed so any mistakes are mine! title is from the perishers song come out of the shade.

This would have never happened if it weren’t for Bobby.

Johnny is going to have to buy him a second Christmas present.

-

It all starts a day not unlike any other. They meet up for drinks when Bobby is in town in some beat up bar Johnny knows because _of course_. Bobby has always been a calming presence in Johnny’s life, even more so after his kid almost killed his best student and almost ended up in Juvie because of it.

Of course, fucking LaRusso gets brought up because even while he was going through his divorce, he had gotten Robby a good lawyer and he had made sure both of them were communicating. Fucking LaRusso.

“He is a good dude,” Bobby says while he takes a sip of his beer. “And I’m sure he’ll have no trouble getting back out there.”

“What do you mean?” Johnny says even when his brain it’s yelling at him to _ABORT ABORT_ the conversation.

“LaRusso is pretty.” Bobby offers, “When we were in school I heard Barbara talking Ali’s ear off about his big brown eyes and his long eyelashes. It was hilarious.”

“Um-I mean. Well…” Johnny stutters and tries to think if he’s had more than five beers. “I guess.” He ends lamely.

Bobby doesn’t seem to notice what his off hand comment caused.

“I’m just saying.” He adds. “He is as pretty as they come.”

Johnny snorts.

-

The thing is, after Bobby says it, it’s all Johnny can think about.

He’s been avoiding LaRusso because he knows he is going to embarrass himself. And he knows Daniel has been trying to run into him – because they are sort of kind of friends now. And Daniel cares about Robby and how he is doing and he cares about Johnny. Johnny knows because Daniel has said so several times.

That is how he ends up finding Daniel sitting on his living room when he comes home from the dojo.

Daniel is with Robby, it looks like they are going over something on one of his school books but as soon as Johnny walks into the room he jumps off the couch like an excited child and takes two long steps towards him.

“Johnny.” Daniel says and he smiles showing all of his teeth.

Johnny can see a few lost freckles going over his nose. His hair is messed up, probably from running his fingers through it and it falls on his face making him look younger. All Johnny can think of is _Fuck you Bobby._

“LaRusso.” Johnny manages to say but he can’t help but to smile back.

“I was looking for you earlier.” Daniel says and he takes one step closer. Robby’s eyes don’t move from his book.

Daniel’s skin looks really smooth and Johnny has to consciously clench his hand in a fist to stop it from hovering over Daniel’s cheek. _That’d_ be embarrassing.

The silence must go on for too long to be socially acceptable because suddenly Daniel looks nervous, he bites his lower lip and he scratches his arm, fingernails dragging against his purple shirt.

“Do you want to stay for dinner?” Johnny manages but it comes out in a weird tone – a little too high. Robby does look up from his book this time - confused.

Daniel’s face lights up as he nods, and Johnny hates how expressive his eyes are. He bites the inside of his cheek to stop himself from smiling. Fuck, he feels like a _fucking_ teenager.

Robby hides his face behind his homework, but Johnny can see his shoulders moving slightly, laughing. That fucker.

-

By the time they are done having dinner, Robby is gone out with some friends with the promise of coming back before curfew. Johnny offers to do the dishes because he is sort of scared of what his hands would do if left alone with LaRusso.

When he finishes washing up he has managed to forget about Bobby’s stupid comments and LaRusso stupid earnest eyes and he’s ready to go to sleep peacefully.

He walks out of the kitchen to find Daniel on the couch, his legs stretched out on the table. It’s dark in the living room and Daniel is curled on himself, his face half hidden by the darkness.

Seeing LaRusso sleeping is strange. It’s obvious he has not been resting a lot lately, Johnny notices the black circles under his eyes. His mouth hangs open a bit and his eyelids are moving almost imperceptibly. His arm is hanging off the armrest. Even with the weak light that comes through the window Johnny can still see the small faded freckles over his nose.

_Fucking Bobby._

Being around Daniel sometimes makes him feel like his brain is collapsing on itself. When he had been a teenager meeting Daniel had felt – like meeting his match. Daniel seemed small yes but he was full of fire. He didn’t fold to his wishes like everyone else around him, he actually fought back.

It had made Johnny angry. But it had also made him curious.

Out of the corner of his eye he sees Daniel move, stretching his arm and hooks his fingers around Johnny’s wrist and pulls, like a child.

“Stop that.” Johnny mutters but he can hear Daniel laughing quietly, now only pretending to be asleep.

Johnny moves and Daniel’s hand stutters his fingers brushing against Johnny’s leg. When he looks back at Daniel he can just see half of his face with the streetlight, loopy smile and sleep clouded eyes.

Johnny bites his tongue.

-

It only keeps getting worse.

Johnny tries pointedly not to think about how _pretty_ Daniel is but it seems to get harder every time. It’s also increasingly difficult since their lives and children seem to be so irrevocably intertwined that Johnny has to deal with LaRusso almost every day.

Miguel is taking Sam to some stupid school dance and he is nervous.

He has no reason to be, Johnny has said this _several_ times, but the kid is still pacing back and forth like he is trying to dig a fucking tunnel in the middle of Johnny’s living room. Then they hear a car horn and Miguel runs out – Johnny behind him.

Daniel had agreed to lend them his car just for this stupid dance, and when he steps through the door he sees Sam waiting in the passenger seat while Daniel walks towards them, key in hands.

Johnny feels ridiculous for the way his heart stutters when he sees Daniel – he’s wearing jeans and a plain white t-shirt and he looks so relaxed and happy. Johnny shoves his hands into his pockets. Just in case. 

Miguel is about to open his mouth when Johnny says, “You look good.”

It’s not his fault the thought has been invading each waking moment since Bobby opened his fucking mouth. It’s ridiculous but one second after he’s said it he feels his entire face go red.

Daniel looks confused for a second but then he smiles in that way that make him crinkle his eyes and show all of his teeth. Johnny can feel Miguel staring at him.

Sam calls Daniel over to the car for a moment before they leave and that is when Miguel turns around to look at him.

“What was that?” Miguel says and then he tries to imitate Johnny’s voice, “ _You look good_.”

“Shut up.”

-

_(Johnny won’t ever admit it but he thinks his realization actually started before Bobby had said anything._

_In that lift with an uncomfortable silence between both of them – stretching floor after floor. LaRusso kept looking at him out of the corner of his eye. Opening and closing his mouth as if there are no words to say whatever he is thinking of saying._

_And then Daniel had moved – grabbing Johnny’s wrist. Johnny thinks that the hand Daniel is holding him with is trembling, but he can’t be sure. Daniel’s eyes always look so fucking sincere – it’s annoying he looks so pretty even when he is upset and feeling sorry for himself._

_A second later, the elevator door pings and Daniel’s grip loosens._

_Johnny rushes out of the lift)._

-

An incomplete list of things Johnny has confused his attraction to Daniel with are hate, resentment, gratitude, admiration, friendship, pride, very close friendship, an indigestion. It’s absurd he thinks that he was not able to see it.

Here’s how he finally sees it:

Daniel invites Robby and him to have dinner at his house, every Wednesday when his kids come over. Once dinner is over Daniel is sitting in the patio with Robby and Anthony, playing some stupid nerdy game, and Johnny is watching them from the kitchen window while he finishes washing the dishes.

_Johnny Lawrence,_ he can hear Bobby’s voice in his head, _you’ve been domesticated by no other than Daniel LaRusso._

“You can stop pretending around us, you know.” Sam’s voice makes him jump out of his trance and almost drop the dish he is drying.

“I have no idea what you are talking about.” Johnny says, because he is a bit genuinely confused and because if Sam is talking about what he thinks he is talking about he is not discussing it with her. _No way_.

“Don’t act like an idiot,” Sam says and then she adds, “Sensei Lawrence.”

Johnny can feel his neck burning red and he doesn’t lift his eyes from the sink. He can hear Daniel laughing outside and he can imagine just how he looks, throwing his head back with his eyes closed and hair moving like a halo.

And suddenly he _gets_ it. He is not confused. Whatever is happening to him is not a moment of confusion over some stupid comment Bobby made.

(He does still remind himself to tell him to fuck off the next time he talks to him though.)

Sam doesn’t press any further because a second later the doorbell rings and he knows is Amanda coming to pick up the children. Johnny makes himself scarce and goes to sit in the small patio of Daniel’s house after saying goodbye to Robby.

He starts to think where all of this came from, feeling like he has to analyze every interaction he’s had with LaRusso, every touch and every look.

A couple of minutes later Daniel comes out and sits besides him and the reality of the situation hits him like a freight train. Johnny wants to run. He wants to get into his car and go home to drink or sleep it off. He wants to keep going like nothing happened.

But Daniel settles on his side, the moon shinning down on them and Johnny feels all the fear drain out of him in a moment. He knows he is doing the right thing. He understands know that what makes him feel at peace – it’s Daniel. Daniel who talks enough for both of them, who accent gets thicker when he gets riled up, who got up with a torn leg and beat him.

_You’re alright, LaRusso._

Johnny never thought this would happen to him.

“Are you alright?” Daniel asks, after a while.

“I’m great.” Johnny says and he finds he actually means it. Daniel leans closer and closes his eyes, as if he is feeling the cold wind mixed with salt and reveling in it.

“Where are you?” Daniel asks – without pushing. Offering Johnny the chance to back out if he wants to.

“I’m right here LaRusso.” Johnny answers. “I know you are old but you are forgetting your surroundings already?”

Johnny clenches his fingers, trying to prevent his hands from doing something stupid. When he turns he is sitting close enough to see himself reflected in Daniel’s eyes. Slowly, he moves his hand to push Daniel’s hair back.

“Johnny,” Daniel says and he sounds like he is inhaling his own words. But he doesn’t pull back. “What are you doing?”

“Can’t you tell?” Johnny answers, but he knows how to read Daniel, the playful glint in his eye and the smile pulling at the corner of his mouth.

“When did this happen?” Daniel’s eyes move all over his face looking for some sort of signal. His lips tremble.

Johnny lets his hand fall and his thumb draw a caress against Daniel’s cheek. “Sorry it took me so long to get here.”

And kissing Daniel, really kissing Daniel, it’s beyond anything Johnny can describe. He feels every part they are touching is on fire and it stays with him for a moment. He only feels Daniel’s lips against his, sweet and soft and before pushing he lets his hand wander, placing his fingers against the dimples in Daniel’s back and pulling him closer.

Daniel breathes a small whimper against his lips and Johnny feels it, digging his finger into the soft flesh of Daniel’s hips harder.

When they pull apart they are both breathing heavily and Johnny is desperate to kiss him again, but Daniel holds his face between his hands and presses his forehead against Johnny’s, keeping their mouths apart.

“This is so sudden.”

“Is it?” Johnny asks, because when he thinks about it, when he goes through every moment between them he realizes this had been coming since that first shove at the beach. Whatever makes his heart press against his ribcage had been there already – he just didn’t understand it. But he does understand it now. Why should he wait another minute?

“I had given up on you.”

“I’m a slow learner.”

Daniel laughs and he kisses him again.


End file.
